Most personal computer (“PC”) users obtain access to the Internet through an ISP. Typically, the PC user will establish a connection between their PC and a server operated by the ISP using either a modem and phone line or a dedicated line, commonly known as a digital subscriber line (“xDSL”), installed by the ISP, a competitive local exchange carrier (“CLEC”), or a local or long distance telephone company. Once the PC user has established a connection with the ISP, the ISP is responsible for establishing and maintaining a connection with the Internet for the PC user.
The bandwidth of a data transmission system is determined based upon the speed at which data can be transferred between two points within the system. Thus, for a PC or other computer system connected to the Internet, the downstream bandwidth is the speed, in bits per second, that data can be transferred (or “downloaded”) to the PC from the Internet while the upstream bandwidth is the speed, in bits per second, that data can be transferred (or “uploaded”) from the PC to the Internet. When connected to a selected site on the Internet, a variety of factors can dramatically affect both downstream and upstream bandwidth. For example, a poorly configured PC, a substandard connection with the ISP, an overloaded gateway to the Internet, an overloaded Internet backbone, an excessive hop count to the selected Internet site or an inadequate server at the selected site may all adversely affect bandwidth.
A web site known as “DSLreports.com” enables PC users to test their broadband connection by performing upload and download speed tests between the user's PC and a test server maintained by the aforementioned web site. The DSLreports.com web site also maintains a summary of all tests performed by the user. Unfortunately, the results of tests such as those offered by DSLreports.com have been misinterpreted by many Internet users. Internet users typically obtain access to the Internet by entering into a service agreement with an ISP. Oftentimes, the ISP promises to provide certain upload and download speeds, commonly referred to as “rated speeds”, to the Internet user, particularly when the ISP offers a dedicated line such as a xDSL line. After entering into a contract with an ISP promising a certain level of service, an Internet user may misinterpret speed reports such as those generated by DSL reports.com as evidencing upload and download speeds below the rated speeds promised by the ISP. Such mistaken beliefs oftentimes lead to the Internet user becoming dissatisfied with their ISP and may even motivate the cancellation of their service agreement.
However, deficient upload and download data transfer rates can result from a variety of problems, many of which are beyond the control of the ISP. More specifically, the ISP is only responsible for the connection between a subscriber's PC and the ISP's internet gateway. The cause of a deficient upload or download data transfer rate, on the other hand, may reside within the PC itself or at a internet location well removed from that portion under the control of the ISP. Accordingly, this invention improves on current techniques for testing upload and download data transfer rates by providing a service node uniquely configured for determining bandwidth between the node itself and clients thereof. By determining bandwidth to and/or from the service node, those deficiencies in service which can be readily addressed by the ISP are discernable from those that are beyond the control of the ISP.